The apparatus of the invention is particularly adapted for use with article caser or packer apparatus of the type shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,052,071. In such apparatus, a plurality of streams of abutted articles are fed through a fixed course down to a packer grid wherein the articles are arranged in sets or groups corresponding to the arrangement of bottles or other articles to be carried in the case to be packed. After the articles or bottles are arranged in suitable groups, then they are dropped to deposit them into the carrier case for further processing.
In apparatus of this type, it is very desirable that safeguards be provided to insure that the case packer grid be properly filled with an array of articles for filling the carrier case completely. Thus, each individual row of bottles, as moved into the case packer head, normally has a stop mechanism provided therefor to indicate when such rows of articles is completely filled by the pressure of following articles in the stream of articles being fed toward the case packer head. When the individual stop member or safety device for each row of abutted articles is properly set, then the apparatus permits the case filling action by article drop or equivalent.
In the past, it is known to have pivotally positioned barrier flags as a portion of the stop member at the end of each row of articles arranged on the case packer grid and, thus, a wave form control beam, such as a sonic or light beam, can be transmitted through the stop members to obtain a control action when the individual stop members or flags for each row of abutted articles are moved to a proper release position. It also has been known to use an electrical control circuit wherein pivotal flags at the stop members are moved to non-contacting relation, for example, with an electrical conductor extending transversely of the grid head through a plurality of holes in the flags so that when each flag is moved to its proper non-contact relationship with the electrical conductor, or vice versa, then a case filling control action can be obtained. See U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,421,285 and 4,030,269.
While such apparatus, as has been proposed heretofore, has worked satisfactorily in many instances, it is always desirable to provide a more positive acting control that will have a long service life with a minimum of maintenance.
The general object of the invention is to provide a fully mechanically constructed apparatus for detecting the filling of a grid head with articles for case filling action and for providing a control function.
Another object of the invention is to provide pivotally positioned stop flags in grid filling heads safety devices for actuation from a no-load to a loaded position, and for using the loaded position to mechanically release an actuator for case filling action.
Another object of the invention is to provide a grid filling head detection mechanism, including pivotally positioned flags wherein the flags can be operable as safety detection devices in either of two positions which are 180.degree. out of phase relationship with each other for detecting or being actuated by a small vertical height article in the grid head and/or by a larger vertically extending article in the grid head.
Yet another object of the invention is to provide, in effect, a mechanical interlock relationship between keyhole shaped apertures in pivotal safety flags in article casing apparatus, and a safety bar extending transversely of the grid head and normally held in inoperative position by the pivotally positioned safety flags in the apparatus.
The foregoing and other objects and advantages of the invention will be made more apparent as the specification proceeds.